The Middle East Council of Churches is a regional ecumenical organization, which brings together churches in the East for a common Christian witness in a region where Christ was born, lived, died and resurrected.
UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
Under the theme “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27), the Arab Republic of Egypt inaugurated the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, in a Prayer Service presided over His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, on Wednesday 13 March 2024, in the Church of Church of the Great Martyr Saint George and Anba Ebram - Heliopolis - Cairo.
Fifty
On the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Egypt, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel E. Abs attended the opening Prayer of this week, headed by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, during which he delivered a speech entitled “Fifty.” At its beginning, Dr. Michel Abs addressed His Holiness Pope Tawadros II with a word of love and condolence following the attack, on Monday 12 March 2024, on three monks from the Coptic Orthodox Church at the Monastery of Saint Mark the Apostle and Saint Samuel the Confessor in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Thursday 14 March 2024
On the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in the Arab Republic of Egypt and as part of the tour of the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs in Egypt, Dr. Abs will be the guest in a special episode on the Egyptian “Al Keraza” TV channel with the MECC Associate Secretary General Reverend Dr. Refaat Fikry.
Watch the episode live on Thursday 14 March 2024, at 8:00 pm Cairo time, 10:00 am California time, and 5:00 am Sydney time.
Together Towards Enhancing the Work Mechanisms!
Capabilities development and skills improvement are among the most prominent objectives of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) which seeks in every new opportunity to empower its team work and expand the horizons of its tasks in order to achieve the desired Ecumenical and humanitarian goals.
In this context, the Middle East Council of Churches organized a training on the new policies and procedures prepared and adopted by the Council with the aim of developing its work mechanisms. The training, which was programmed with the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, extended over two days, Thursday 7 and Friday 8 March 2024, at the Near East School of Theology (NEST) in Beirut.
The training was moderated by the MECC Human Resources Senior Officer Mrs. Roula Saliba, in which participants were the team of the MECC General Secretariat in Beirut, and the team of our Lady Dispensary, affiliated with the MECC, in the Sabtieh region –Mount Lebanon. Hence, the training included many sessions and practical exercises, all of which centered, in details, on the policies and procedures for the recruitment process, employee files and all issues related to their duties, rights and performance. In addition, the training highlighted the policies and procedures related to whistleblowing, and the protection from sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (PSEAH)…
The escalation occurring in the South, resulted in the displacement of several citizens in various areas of Lebanon. They were forced to abandon their homes, possessions, and sources of livelihood during a time when the economic crisis is still prevailing. Already, the government was not able to provide the right circumstances for ordinary citizens to maintain their livelihood and source of income as many of the Lebanese population have fallen below the poverty line.
According to recent estimates, 80% of the Lebanese live in poverty and 36% below the extreme poverty line. As such, many are not able to acquire the basic necessities that encompass food, medication, heating equipment, and hygiene & dignity supplies etc... Expectations indicate, amidst the urgency of the situation, that between April and September 2024, about 1.14 million people are expected to face high levels of food insecurity and are likely to be in a crisis or emergency phase according to standards set by the Integrated Food Security Classification. As such the issue of the internally displaced people (IDPs) coming from the South, came at an unfavorable time during which humanitarian needs are already shocking.
Words Stressing the Need to Strengthen Relations Between the Churches
Cairo, 3-13-2024
In the context of strengthening relations between the Churches and emphasizing the role of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) in spreading the spirit of love among all, and in preparation for the activities of the MECC Fiftieth Year of its Founding, the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, visited, with a delegation from the Council, the Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Egypt, North Africa and the Horn of Africa His Eminence Bishop Sami Fawzi Shehata at the headquarters of the Episcopal Church in Cairo.
The meeting was attended by the MECC Honorary Secretary General Dr. Gergis Saleh, the MECC Associate Secretary General Reverend Dr. Refaat Fikry, the Secretary General of the Egypt’s Council of Churches Father Yachouh Yacoub, and the journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Coordinator of Communication for Church Relations.
The meeting was characterized by a spirit of love, as Dr. Michel Abs spoke about the MECC role in strengthening relations between Churches, as well as the MECC work regarding lectures, programs and projects it implements embracing humanity and including everyone without exception.
With a Delegation from the Council, Emphasizing the Role of Media in Building Humanity
Cairo, 3-13-2024
Many topics, aspirations and important files were the highlight of the meeting of His Beatitude Patriarch Anba Ibrahim Isaac, Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria, and Head of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, with the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, and the Council’s delegation, at the Patriarchate headquarters - Cairo.
The meeting was attended by the MECC Honorary Secretary General Dr. Gergis Saleh, the MECC Associate Secretary General Reverend Dr. Refaat Fikry, and the Coordinator of Communication for Church Relations the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary.
Following the welcoming, the two parties discussed important topics related to the issues of the Christian role in the Middle East, Ecumenical witness, cooperation between Churches, the role of MECC in raising new problems at the humanitarian and social levels, and the MECC activities on the occasion of the Fiftieth Year of its Founding.
Wednesday 13 March 2024 - 6 pm, on Télé Lumière and Noursat TV Channel
Watch with us the live streaming of the opening of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity from the Church of the Great Martyr Saint George and Anba Ebram, Egypt, at 6:30 pm on Télé Lumière and Noursat TV Channel. The opening Prayer will be headed by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Mark, and in the presence of the Heads of Churches.
The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs will deliver a speech during the opening Prayer.
Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return